Odisha's budget session starts with Congress walk-out

BHUBANESWAR: Noisy scenes were witnessed on the first day of the Budget session of the Assembly on Tuesday with Opposition Congress boycotting the Governor’s address for ignoring key issues, including suicide by farmers and deteriorating law and order situation in the State. The Congress members disrupted the proceedings by shouting slogans in the well forcing Speaker Pradip Amat to adjourn the House till Wednesday.

Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra, who led the walkout by Congress members during Governor SC Jamir’s address, alleged that his speech portrayed a rosy picture of the State by not mentioning the plight of farmers and other important issues. The issue was again raised by Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati during the speech of Government Chief Whip Amar Prasad Satpathy on the motion of thanks on Governor’s address.

Describing the BJD Government as anti-farmer, Congress MLAs led by Bahinipati rushed to the well of the House shouting anti-Government slogans and demanded justice for the farmers who are on hunger strike in front of the Assembly seeking price, pension and prestige. The members also attempted to climb on to the Speaker’s desk and demanded a discussion on the farmer issue.Bahinipati said farmers under the banner of Navanirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) are on hunger strike demanding proper price for their produce, pension to aged cultivators and prestige for them. “The BJD Government has been unkind to farmers during its 18 years of rule,” Bahinipati told mediapersons outside the House.

Earlier, obituary references were made for two jawans killed in terrorist attack and five former members by the Speaker, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and leaders of other political parties.Meanwhile, farmers agitating under the banner of NKS have decided to gherao the Assembly on Wednesday. They are sitting on dharna from March 12 demanding allocation of Rs 21,600 crore in the budget for 2018-19 for nearly 36 lakh farmers. “Everyday hundreds of farmers are joining the protest and dozens are falling sick. The NKS demands Rs 5,000 per month as pension for each farmer which comes to around Rs 21,600 crore annually for nearly 36 lakh farmers of the State.